Rackel Gehlsen Weddings + Events and a team of Arizona vendors created this bridal inspiration session, and it is absolutely heavenly. The theme of the shoot, "the essence of divine beauty," couldn't have been more perfectly executed, as they created breathtaking vignettes at The Monroe Abbey, a historical church left to ruin after a fire in the '80s. Katrina Patriquin Photography brought it all to life, and the enchanting photos are waiting to sweep you away right here.

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“The essence of divine beauty” was the inspiration for this shoot at the historical Monroe Abbey in downtown Phoenix, Arizona. After a fire in 1986, the church was left in ruin, but by combining soft and romantic elements with pastel textures, we gave light to the beauty that lies within.

As the early morning glow filled the courtyard, Katina Patriquin Photography set in to capture every detail. Rackel Gehlsen Weddings & Events designed the storyboards to show dreamy hues of blue and grey mixed with sterling silver and angelic white for the overall concept. The blue velvet chairs from Prim Rentals were the perfect addition to the tablescape, and Alexis Grace Florals created an organic centerpiece full of greenery with mink protea, cappuccino garden roses, majolica spray roses, scabiosa, figs, and cascading grapes. The Bride’s bouquet was a similar collection of floral designed to complement the Monique Lhuillier gown. Brie Dumais Designs created a custom invitation suite enhanced with gold foil and TONO ribbon, finished with a wax seal. She also added personal wedding vows, which our model read at the table. We added a light grey velvet Mrs. Box, which is the perfect accessory to a Bride’s wedding day.

Margarita GoDiva and I Do Hair + Makeup Artistry along with one of the lead artists, Raemie, gave our model a natural look with just a soft wave to the hair and nude toned makeup to go with the Monique Lhuillier gown from Destiny’s Bride. The movement of this exquisite gown was absolutely magical, and as we were shooting, the wind would suddenly pick up the veil as if it were floating. As we walked the staircase to the upstairs, the sun had filled the room with a heavenly light. In the center, a circular garland of greenery surrounded by crystal taper candles was the final setting created for our shoot. This was the moment we had been hoping for as all of the elements came together so beautifully. It was the essence of our vision, a dream that came to life.